Lamp connection and mounting devices



Oct. 21, 1969 D. BALDWIN 3,474,381

LAMP CONNECTION AND MOUNTING DEVICES Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 George 0. Baldwin IN V ENTOK.

Oct 1969 G. D. BALDWIN 3,474,381

LAMP CONNECTION AND MOUNTING DEVICES Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 3

George 0. Baldwin IN VEN TOR.

Oct. 21, 1969 G. D. BALDWIN 3,474,381

LAMP CONNECTION AND MOUNTING DEVICES Original Filed Feb 5, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 6

George 0. Baldwin Attorney:

LAMP CONNECTION AND MOUNTING DEVICES George D. Baldwin, Jamestown, N.Y., assignor to Truck- Ii{itekCo., Inc., Jamestown, N.Y., a corporation of New or Continuation of application Ser. No. 342,695, Feb. 5, 1964. This application Sept. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 671,543 Int. Cl. H01r 9/06, 9/22; B60q 1/32 US. Cl. 339-21 19 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lamp holder is mounted in a vehicle body channel formation by pivotal displacement to a position flush against the channel web to lock the holder in place. When locked in place, prongs projecting from the holder pierce the sheathing of a power cable in a channel groove to establish an electrical connection to a lamp terminal connector carried by the holder.

This is a continuation of my prior copending application Ser. No. 342,695, filed Feb. 5, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the installation and mounting of lamp units on a vehicle body and is related to copending applications, Ser. Nos. 231,442 and 374,799, respectively filed Oct. 18, 1962 and June 12, 1964, now Patent Nos. 3,218,448 and 3,341,802. The lamp mounting of the present invention is similar to that disclosed and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 374,799, new Patent No. 3,341,802, in that both lamp installations involve a channel formation on a vehicle body within which a lamp holder and replaceable lamp unit is mounted at any desired location Without the use of fasteners, separate fastening facilities or tools. The lamp mounting of the present invention however, involves a different and improved method of installing the lamp holder and a novel method for establishing electrical contact between the lamp terminals and a power cable carried in the channel formation.

In accordance with the foregoing, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a lamp holder that is locked in position at any desired location on a vehicle body by angular displacement of the lamp holder to an operative position while the holder body is in an elastically deformed condition, so that when the p tive position is attained, the holder body will snap back to its undeformed state resulting in its being locked in position.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a lamp holder guidingly mounting electrical contact elements for respectively establishing firm electrical contact when the holder body is displaced to its operative position in which it becomes locked in place on the vehicle body. The electrical contact elements include a cable-piercing element which is guided by a portion of the holder body for angular displacement into a cable seating groove in the channel formation on the vehicle body so that the contact element may pierce the insulation of the power cable mounted in the cable seating groove. Another contact element is provided and projects from the holder body so that when the holder body is in its operative position, ground contact is obtained by wedging engagement of the vehicle body with the ground contact element.

A still further object of the present invention in accordance with the foregoing object, is to provide a lamp holder body provided with electrical contact elements displaced into firm electrical contact that is also protected against corrosive effects of weather when the holder body is displaced to an operative position in which it becomes locked on the vehicle body.

3,474,381 Patent( 11 Oct. 21, 1969 These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a typical vehicle body installation for the lamp mountings of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of one lamp mounting installation such as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 33 in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4-4 in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 5-5 in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a front plan view of the lamp holder being installed.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the lamp holder as shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of the lamp holder in its installed position.

FIGURE 9 is a front erspective view of a section of the lamp holder.

FIGURE 10 is a rear perspective view of the section of the lamp holder illustrated in FIGURE 9'.

FIGURE 11 is a rear perspective view of another section of the lamp holder.

FIGURE 12 is a partial sectional view similar to that of FIGURE 4 but illustrating a modification of the lamp mounting.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that a plurality of lamp mountings are installed on a vehicle body generally referred to by reference numeral 10. The vehicle body is of a type provided with an elongated channel formation 12 formed near the top thereof for support of the roof panel 14 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 2. Each lamp mounting is installed within the channel formation at any desired location and includes a lamp holder generally referred to by reference numeral 16 within which there is held a replaceable type of lamp unit generally referred to by reference numeral 18. The channel formation 12 is very similar to the channel formations on vehicle bodies now utilized. The channel formation therefore includes a cross-sectional web portion 20 interconnecting an upper leg portion 22 With a lower leg portion 24. The channel formation is modified in its crosssectional shape, however and further includes a grooveforming projection 26 formed on the upper leg portion 22 adjacent its intersection with the web portion 20 so as to form a ground contact receiving groove 28 spaced from a camming ledge 30 also formed on the upper leg portion. Projecting from the lower leg portion 24, is a groove-forming projection 32 closely spaced from the web portion 20 so as to form a cable seating groove 34 within which an insulated electrical power cable 36 is mounted. The cross-sectional shape of the channel formation is finally modified by the provision of a locking groove 38 formed between the upper and lower leg portions.

The lamp holder 16 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 9, 10 and 11, may be formed from two body sections 40 and 42 cemented or secured to each other and disposed generally perpendicular to each other as shown in FIGURE 8. The body section 40 as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, is therefore elongated for engagement between the upper and lower leg portions 22 and 24 of the channel formation. The upper end portion of the body section 40 is formed on the front side thereof with an angularly extending camming projection 44 forwardly spaced from oppositely dished ground contact prongs 46 which extend upwardly from the upper end portion of the body section 40. The lower end portion of the body section 40 is formed with a guide recess 48 forming a rib that has a rounded portion 50 on one side thereof. The lower end portion of the body section 40 is thereby operative to guide the cable-piercing prongs 52 which project from the body section as the rib at 48 enters the groove at 32. The rear side 54 of the body section 40 as shown in FIGURE 10, is provided with a noncircular or rectangular latching locking projection 56 adapted to be received within the locking groove 38 in the Web portion 20 only when the lamp holder is in its operative position. In all other positions of the lamp holder, the intermediate portion of the body section will therefore be spaced by the projection 56 from the web portion. The front side 58 of the body ection 40 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 9, is provided with a pair of locating pin formations 60 adapted to be received within a pair of bores 62 formed in the body section 42. The aligning bores 62 are therefore formed in a thicker intermediate portion 64 of the body section 42, from which intermediate portion a pair of elastically deformable portions 66 extend, the portions 66 terminating in lamp-gripping formations 68. Also projecting rearwardly from the body section 42, are a pair of locking projections 70 adapted to be received within the recesses 72 formed in the front side 58 of the body section 40. The body section 42 may. therefore be mounted on the body section 40 in perpendicular relation thereto with the intermediate portion 64 of body section 42 overlying the body section 40 which is disposed between the rearwardly projecting guide portions 74 on the body section 42 as shown in FIGURE 11. When the two body sections are so assembled, terminal prongs 76 and 78 projecting from the front side 58 of the body section 40 will extend through the spaced bores 80 also formed in the intermediate portion 64 of the body section 42. The body section 42 may also be provided on opposite longitudinal sides thereof, with ear formations 82 having apertures 84 formed therein for alignment with openings 86 and 88 formed in the body section 40 so that if fasteners are desired, they may be utilized although no such fasteners are actually needed.

Referring now to FIGURES 4, and 10, it will be observed that the grounding contact prongs 46 are connected to a conductive plate member 90 which is embedded in the body section 40 in any suitable manner, the body section being made of non-conductive material. For example, the rear side 54 of the body section 40 may be made of a separate piece so that the plate member 90 may be assembled within the body section. Accordingly, the rear side 54 may be provided with locating pin formations 92 received within locating openings formed in the body section for such purpose. The body section 40 is also provided with a bore 94 through which the terminal prong 76 projects, the terminal prong 76 being connected to the conductive plate member 90 so that an electrical connection may be established with the terminal-receiving socket 96 which projects rearwardly from the lamp unit 18 as shown in FIGURE 5. The body section 40 is also provided with a bore 98 through which the terminal prong 78 projects for reception by the other lamp socket 100. The terminal prong 78 is in turn connected to the conductive plate member 102 to which the lower cable-piercing prongs 52 are connected. Electrical connections are thereby established with the lamp unit 18 which is locked in place between the formations 68 engaging the base rim 104 of the lamp unit as more clearly seen in FIGURE 3. The action involved in mounting the lamp unit 18 on the holder body is described in greater detail in the aforementioned copending applications.

When the lamp holder is locked in its operative posi tion, it will be in an undeformed condition inasmuch as the locking projection 56 will be seated in the locking groove 38 of the web portion 20. In this position, the upper end of the camming flange 44 will be wedged beneath the camming ledge 30 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 4 and 5 resulting in the wedged engagement of the grounding prongs 46 with the front and rear surfaces of the groove 28 within which the grounding prongs are received. The cable-piercing prongs 52 on the other hand, will project from the recessed guide portion 48 of the body section which is received within the cable seating groove 34 so as to firmly center the cable-piercing prongs as they pierce the insulation of the power cable 36 and establish electrical contact with the conductive strands thereof. It will therefore be apparent, that firm electrical contact is established, the electrical contacts being protected by the channel groove formations which also operate to hold the lamp holder locked in operaitve position.

The holder is locked in position between the leg portions and cannot be withdrawn therefrom because of the disposition of the end portions of the holder body within the aforementioned groove formations disposed between the web portion and the leg portions of the channel formation. The holder body must be installed by deforming the body which is therefore made of elastically deformable material. Referring to FIGURES 6 and 7, it will be observed that the lamp holder body is initially deformed by inserting a corner portion of the camming flange 44 beneath the camming ledge 30 while the rounded portion abuts the formation 32, the holder body then being angularly displaced from its operative position. In this position, the intermediate portion of the holder body is spaced from the web portion by the projection 56 so that the holder body is bowed or deformed. Only in this deformed condition may the holder body be angularly displaced in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 6 to the operative position illustrated in FIGURE 8. When however, the holder body assumes the operative position, the projection 56 is received within the locking groove 38 so that the holder body may snap back or be restored to its undeformed condition. It will therefore be apparent, that the recessed guide portion 48 angularly displaced into the cable seating groove, will guide and center the cable-piercing prongs 52 as they pierce the insulation of the power cable 36. Inasmuch as the rounded portion 50 is disposed on one side of the guide portion 48, the holder body will be further locked against further angular displacement. Also, when the holder body is restored to its undeformed condition, the grounding prongs 46 will cam or wedge into engagement with the surfaces of the groove 28 as aforementioned, in order to establish good ground contact.

Referring now to FIGURE 12, a modified form of holder body is illustrated in that the body section 40' is yieldably extensible within limits so as to accommodate variations in the spacing between the upper and lower leg portions of the channel formation. Accordingly, the lower guide portion 48' of the body section 40, may be displaceably mounted with respect to the rest of the body section and be provided with a recess mounting a spring element 106 arranged to urge the relatively displaceable portions of the section 40' apart to the maximum dimension in order to accommodate installation of the holder between more widely spaced leg portions and yet capable of being installed between more closely spaced leg portions within limits of course.

From the foregoing description, the construction, operation and utility of the lamp mountings will be apparent. It will therefore be appreciated, that the lamp mounting arrangement of the present invention involves a relatively simple and effortless lamp mounting procedure resulting in a lamp mounting installation which is both mechanically and electrically secure. In addition thereto the lamp installation may be made at any desired location in the channel formation and provides good protection against the deleterious effects of weather.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a channel formation on a vehicle body having spaced leg portions interconnected by a web portion, a holder for a replaceable lamp unit comprising; an elastically deformable holder body mounted in a predetermined position between said leg portions, camming means mounted on said body and engageable with said leg portions for deforming said holder body to enable displacement thereof in a deformed condition between said leg portions, locking means operatively connected to said holder body which when displaced to said predetermined position, permits restoration of said holder body to an undeformed condition, thereby locking it in said channel, a cable piercing element mounted in the holder body for electrical contact with said lamp unit adapted to be held by the holder body, and guide means in the holder body from which the cable piercing element projects for guiding thereof into an insulated power cable mounted in said channel formation.

2. The combination of claim 1 including ground contact means mounted in said holder body and wedged into engagement with the channel formation in response to said displacement thereof to said predetermined position.

3. The combination of claim 2 including means for yieldably extending the holder body between said leg portions of the channel formation to accommodate variations in spacing therebetween,

4. In combination with a channel formation on a vehicle body having spaced leg portions interconnected by a web portion, a holder for a replaceable lamp unit comprising; an elastically deformable holder body mounted in a predetermined position between said leg portions, camming means mounted on said body and engageable with said leg portions for deforming said holder body to enable displacement thereof in a deformed condition between said leg portions, locking means operatively connected to said holder body which when displaced to said predetermined position, permits restoration of said holder body to an undeformed condition, thereby locking it in said channel, and means for yieldably extending the holder body between said leg portions of the channel formation to accommodate variations in spacing therebetween.

5. In combination with a channel formation on a vehicle body having spaced leg portions interconnected by a web portion, a holder for a replaceable lamp unit comprising; an elastically deformable holder body displaceable to a predetermined position between said leg portions, camming means mounted on said body and engageable with said leg portions for holding said holder body in a deformed condition during displacement thereof toward said predetermined position between said leg portions, and locking means operatively connected to said holder body which when displaced to said predetermined position, permits restoration of said holder body to an undeformed condition, thereby locking it in said channel, said channel formation being formed with a seating groove between the web portion and one of the leg portions for mounting a power cable therein, and cable piercing means mounted by the holder body separate from the camming means for angular displacement into engagement with the power cable.

6. The combination of claim 5 including ground contact means mounted in said holder body and wedged into engagement with the channel formation in response to said angular displacement of the cable piercing means.

7. In combination with a channel formation on a vehicle body having spaced leg portions interconnected by a web portion, a holder for a replaceable lamp unit comprising; an elastically deformable holder body mounted in a predetermined position between said leg portions, camming means mounted on said body and engageable with said leg portions for deforming said holder body to enable displacement thereof in a deformed condition between said leg portions, and locking means operatively connected to said holder body which when displaced to said predetermined position, permits restoration of said holder body to an undeformed condition, thereby locking it in said channel, said locking means comprising a projection engageable with said web portion for spacing the holder body therefrom, said web portion being formed with a locking groove receiving the projection therein only when the holder body is in said predetermined position.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said camming means comprises engaging end portions formed on said holder body spaced from the locking means for holding the body in engagement with the web portion adjacent to the leg portions during displacement thereof to said predetermined position.

9. In combination with a channel formation on a vehicle body having spaced leg portions interconnected by a web portion, a holder for a replaceable lamp unit comprising; an elastically deformable holder body displaceable to a predetermined position between said leg portions, camming means mounted on said body and engageable with said leg portions for holding said holder body in a deformed condition during displacement thereof toward said predetermined position between said leg portions, and locking means operatively connected to said holder body which when displaced to said predetermined position, permits restoration of said holder body to an undeformed condition, thereby locking it in said channel, said camming means comprising engaging end portions integrally formed on said holder body spaced from the locking means for holding the body in engagement with the web portion adjacent to the leg portions during displacement thereof to said predetermined position.

10. The combination of claim 9 including electrical contact means mounted in said holder body and projecting from opposite ends thereof, said channel formation being formed with grooves between the web portion and the leg portions into which the contact means extend in spaced relation to the engaging end portions.

11. In combination with a channel formation on a vehicle body having spaced leg portions interconnected by a web portion, a holder for a replaceable lamp unit comprising; an elastically deformable holder body mounted in a predetermined position between said leg portions, camming means mounted on said body and engageable with said leg portions for deforming said holder body to enable displacement thereof in a deformed condition between said leg portions, locking means operatively connected to said holder body which when displaced to said predetermined position, permits restoration of said holder body to an undeformed condition, thereby locking it in said channel, and electrical contact means mounted in said holder body and projecting from opposite ends thereof, said channel formation being formed with grooves between the web portion and the leg portions into which the contact means extend in spaced relation to the cammlng means.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said contact means include a piercing element, and means formed on the holder body and received within one of said grooves for guiding angular displacement of the piercing element thereinto, an insulated power cable being mounted in said groove for piercing by said element when the holder body is in said predetermined position.

13. In combination with a channel formation on a vehicle body having spaced leg portions interconnected by a web portion, a holder for a replaceable lamp unit comprising; a holder body mounted in a predetermined position between said leg portions, camming means mounted on said body and engageable with said leg portions, locking means for preventing withdrawal of the holder body from the channel formation, said camming means including engaging end portions formed on said holder body spaced from the locking means for holding the body in engagement with the web portion during movement thereof to said predetermined position, and electrical contact means mounted in said holder body separately from the camming means, said channel formation being formed with grooves between the web portion and the leg portions into which the contact means extend from the holder body, said contact means including a piercing element, and means formed on the holder body and received within one of said grooves for guiding angular displacement of the piercing element thereinto during said movement of the holder body, and an insulated power cable mounted in said groove for piercing by said element when the holder body is in said predetermined position.

14. In combination with an elongated channel formation having spaced leg portions and a groove extending longitudinally thereof and an electrical cable seated within said groove, a holder for a lamp including a nonconductive holder body disposed within said channel formation between the leg portions thereof, said body having a guide portion received within said groove preventing displacement of the body transversely of the channel formation, a conductive element mounted in said holder body and projecting through said guide portion into the groove, means electrically connecting the conductive element to the lamp, said conductive element having an end portion piercing said cable when the guide portion is received in the groove to establish an electrical connection between the cable and the lamp protected by the holder body.

15. In an illuminating structure, elongated lamp-carrying means having spaced leg and web portions for carrying a lamp at any selected location along said lamp-carrying means, a lamp assembly, rib-and-groove means carried in part by said lamp assembly and in part by said lamp-carrying means between the web portion and one of the leg portions and including a rib, and a groove receiving said rib therein for holding said lamp assembly on said lamp-carrying means when said lamp assembly is flush against said lamp-carrying means, said rib-and-groove means cooperating to guide said lamp assembly for turning movement to a mounted position flush against said lamp-carrying means from an insert position in which said rib is introduced into said groove, and lock means carried in part by said lamp assembly and in part by said lamp-carrying means for locking said lamp assembly in said mounted position flush against said lamp-carrying means, whereby said lamp assembly may be mounted on said lamp-carrying means without the use of tools, said lamp-carrying means carrying an electrical conductor and said lamp assembly carrying an electrically conductive element separate from the rib and groove means and the lock means which electrically engages said conductor when said lamp assembly is mounted on said lamp-carrying means for forming part of an electrical circuit to a bulb which is adapted to be carried by said lamp assembly.

16. In combination with a conductive mounting surface having a pair of parallel spaced grooves and an insulated power cable seated in one of said grooves, a lamp holder comprising a body made of non-conductive material, means projecting from the body into engagement with the mounting surface for pivotally guiding movement of the body into abutting relation with the mounting surface, a pair of connectors mounted by the body, cablepiercing means connected to one of the connectors for piercing the power cable in response to said movement of the body into abutment with the surface, and ground establishing means connected to the other of the connectors and projecting into the other of said groovesfor securing the body to the surface when in abutment therewith.

17. In combination with a lamp having a pair of terminals projecting therefrom, a lamp holder for mounting said lamp on a channel member having a pair of parallel spaced grooves and a longitudinal recess, said lamp holder comprising a body made of non-conductive material, said body having formations engaging said lamp and longitudinally spaced extensions adapted to be received within the longitudinal recess, a pair of connectors mounted by the body in engagement with the lamp terminals and adapted to be aligned with one of said grooves in the channel member, a cable-piercing element connected to one of the connectors and adapted to project into said one of the grooves, a conductive element connected to the other of the connectors having an aperture adapted to be aligned with the other of the grooves, and securing means mounted by the body and extending through said aperture for reception in the other of said grooves.

18. The combination of claim 16 further including a locking projection extending from the body into engagement with the mounting surface in spaced relation to the pivotal guiding means and the ground establishing means.

19. In combination with a conductive mounting surface having a pair of parallel spaced grooves and an insulated power cable seated in one of said grooves, a lamp holder comprising a body made of non-conductive material, means projecting from the body into engagement with the mounting surface for pivotally guiding movement of the body into abutting relation with the mounting surface, a pair of connectors mounted by the body, cable-piercing means connected to one of the connectors for piercing the power cable in response to said movement of the body into abutment with the surface, ground establishing means connected to the other of the connectors and projecting into the other of said grooves for securing the body to the surface when in abutment therewith, and a locking projection extending from the body into engagement with the mounting surface in spaced relation to the pivotal guiding means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,107,061 10/1963 Morgan 339-21 XR 3,109,598 11/1963 Morgan 33921 XR 3,130,921 4/1964 Morgan 33921 XR MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 240-82; 339-97 

